


Take A Free Ride

by ex_wing



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Feel-good, Modern AU, Reyva
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 08:37:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14185083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ex_wing/pseuds/ex_wing
Summary: “‘Sounds like you’re having some car trouble, you need any help?’ Jess said. ‘Y’know, I actually work at Rebel’s Auto down the street, so hopefully I can do something to fix it,’ she chuckled nervously. Ugh, wait, she was nervous?”Jess is a mechanic, and she meets a girl having car trouble. Soon, she realizes that there’s something special about her...(A modern reyva AU)





	Take A Free Ride

**Author's Note:**

> This is gonna be a totally feel-good story, and I just kind of went with whatever I thought would be cute. I hope you all like it! Also: I do not claim to know anything about how cars work. Everything about cars and car parts in this fic is referenced from stuff I found online, and I’m pretty sure that fixing a spark plug takes more than I gave it credit for, narratively, but listen- I’m a lesbian, not a car scientist.

Jess wiped a mixture of sweat and grease off her brow. Damn, it felt good to just sit and work on her car for a while, she thought. Her job at the Rebel’s Auto Shop had been pretty rough for the past few weeks, but finally, finally, she had a little time to herself, so she stayed behind to work on her pet project: a blue 1971 Camaro SS that she’d gotten from her dad when she was sixteen. It had been totally driveable for years, but she always felt the need to tinker with it, to make it even better. She reached blindly to grab a wrench, but flinched when her phone went off in her pocket, and she dropped the wrench she was already holding. She shook her head and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

Poe: So, you have any plans tonight?

Jess let out a breath of a laugh. Poe was hinting today that he had something important to tell her. He was her manager, but apparently he didn’t want to talk about whatever it was in front of the whole shop. She didn’t blame him; if Snap got wind of anything, Poe’s secret would be toast. 

Jess: nope not busy. what’s up, man

Poe: I need to talk to you. I told you last time, it’s urgent, dude! 

Jess: okay dude! why didn’t u just tell me about it at work? is it because it’s about a cute boyyyyy???

Poe: Shut up man. Just meet me at the place down the street from the shop in like 30 minutes, okay?

Jess: XD okay

Poe: Never send me anything like that ever again.

Jess: XD

She pushed herself out from under the car she’d been working on, still laughing a little at how nervous Poe was. He wasn’t really the type of guy to hold a lot of secrets, so whatever he wanted to talk about was clearly important. Before locking up shop, she hung up her apron and made sure to wipe all the grease off her face. 

The restaurant, Boba’s Tea and Noodles, wasn’t far from work, so she took the long way. It was about 7:30, just starting to get dark, but still pretty warm because it was early summer, so Jess decided to wrap her flannel around her waist. It looked like it was gonna be a gorgeous night. She took a deep breath and-

“Augh!” 

Around the next street corner, Jess heard some mumbled cursing, along with... was the sound of a bad engine? She walked faster and rounded the corner, and saw an old, grey minivan. The paint was chipping off in some places, and the license plate read “FALCN.” Apparently, the thing was from New Mexico, of all places. What was it doing all the way up here in Connecticut?

“Are you okay?” The person in the car had their window down, and she hoped they’d hear her over the sound of the engine.

A woman with an English accent answered, “Is someone out there?” and suddenly the car’s driver side door opened. The woman who stepped out was- well, she was certainly interesting. Her hair was up in three separate buns- clearly that took some doing, Jess thought- and she was wearing a ratty gray cardigan over a stained white T-shirt, a pair of loose fitting brown pants, and a pair of beat up uggs. Hm. But somehow, she made it work. She was actually kind of cute. 

“Sounds like you’re having some car trouble, you need any help?” Jess rubbed the back of her neck with one hand, and with the other, gestured towards the general direction of the shop. “Y’know, I actually work at Rebel’s Auto down the street, so hopefully I can do something to fix it,” she chuckled nervously. Ugh, wait, she was nervous? 

The young woman let out a deep breath, “Oh, that’s great! It just won’t start today. Not that that’s anything new...” Jess didn’t want to insult her car or anything, but she believed her. This thing definitely looked like it’d seen better days. “Usually I just kind of, take the keys out and try again? But it sounds like a bad spark plug to me, which is, ehm, not good.” She stared at her car with open malice. “Stupid thing.”

“Mind popping the hood? Oh,” she added, “and I’m Jessika- uh, Jess, for short.”

“Nice to meet you, Jess. I’m Rey,” she smiled warmly, the corners of her eyes crinkling when she did, “Lemme go get the hood.”

Rey, what a weird name. Jess walked up to the hood, and after Rey popped it and came back to stand next to her, she lifted it all the way up. Vaguely, she wondered how she looked lifting it- her work at the auto shop had given her some serious muscle definition. She shook her head, surprised she was thinking about something like that. But then again- this girl was cute, especially up close. But then again again, those uggs... she decided to focus on figuring out what was wrong with her car. 

She poked around in the engine, and saw that this thing was definitely old. The engine was held together by some fraying duct tape, twine, and- was that gum? She could hardly believe the thing ever worked in the first place. “Can you try to start the engine real quick? Just wanna make sure it’s what you think it is.” 

The girl- Rey- pulled her keys out of her cardigan pocket and sat back in the driver’s seat. “Alright, here I go.” 

The engine let out a loud rattling sound and some pinging noises, then stopped. In the driver’s seat, Rey sighed deeply.

“Yep.” Jess nodded and crossed her arms. “Bad spark plug. How’d you know?”

“When I was little, my dad would teach me stuff about cars,” Rey said, climbing out of the van, “I’m good at telling what’s wrong but I uh, I don’t really have the means to fix anything that’s wrong with this-“ she punctuated her sentence by quickly but roughly kicking the van’s wheel- “stupid car.” 

“Well, I can probably help,” Jess said sheepishly, rubbing her neck again, “it’s, uh, kind of my job.”

Rey sounded halfway between being impressed and amused. “That’s expert type stuff there. I’m so glad you came along!”

“Ha, thanks,” Jess was suddenly very glad it was getting dark out, because she was actually blushing. “So... uh, your spark plug?” 

“Is it pretty bad?” Rey asked, clearly knowing that, yeah, it was pretty bad. 

“Yeah, looks like it’ll have to be replaced,” Rey’s shoulders instantly slumped, “But!” Jess said positively, and Rey perked up again, “The shop’s just back this way. I can go grab the stuff I need to fix it, and then I can come back and... fix it for you?” 

“That is so nice!” Rey smiled, and Jess felt her cheeks warm up, again. It was a really, really nice smile. “I really can’t believe you’re doing this for me.”

“Hey, I’m always down to help a damsel in distress,” Jess visibly flinched at that, but Rey flashed that same huge smile. “Uh, I’ll go grab all the stuff I need. You should probably stay here and watch your car. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

“Okay, thanks Jess!” 

☆ ☆ ☆

As soon as Jess rounded the corner on her way back to the shop, she collapsed against the side of the closest building. Why was she so nervous! Why did she offer to fix a stranger’s car? And damsel in distress! What was she thinking! Jess rubbed her temples. At least Rey didn’t seem to mind. Suddenly, she remembered she was supposed to be meeting up with Poe, and hurriedly pulled her phone out of her pocket. 

Jess: heyyyyyy poe

Poe: What is it, Pava. 

Jess: I’m gonna be a little late. 20 mins tops?

Poe: Ughhhh okay. 

Jess: it’s because I’m helping somebody with some car trouble ):

Poe: I said okay, dude. 

Jess: okay but you seemed mad soooo

Poe: Just hurry uuuuup. 

She did. Jess pretty much sprinted back to the shop and shoved everything she’d need into her toolbox. She made it back in three minutes, lugging the giant toolbox faster than she ever did back at the shop. As soon as Rey saw her, she jumped a little and pushed herself away from the car where she’d been resting. 

“That was fast! And oh wow- big toolbox- d’you need me to help you there?”

Jess groaned. She did need help, but she shook her head and tried not to grimace, then hurriedly dropped it on the sidewalk. 

“Alright,” Jess said, attempting to not sound as out of breath as she really was, “Sit tight and I’ll see what I can do. This shouldn’t take too long.”

Rey watched diligently, asking questions about the process and using her phone- which Jess noticed had a cracked screen despite also being protected by a massive otterbox case- as a flashlight. Jess was impressed at how much she knew about cars. When Jess asked for a tool, it seemed like Rey was already next to her holding exactly what she needed. They actually made a pretty good team. 

“All done!” Jess proclaimed. With Rey’s help, she made quick work of replacing her old spark plug. Rey scampered over to the driver’s seat and unceremoniously jammed the keys into the ignition. She twisted them, and for a second the engine sounded a little rough, but it quickly got over itself and sputtered to life. 

“Woohoo!” Rey whooped, pumping her first in the air a couple times. She got out of the car and helped Jess close the hood. 

“I really owe you for that, Jess.” Rey clapped her on the back, kind of hard. Jess tried not to flinch. 

“Hey, it’s no problem. It’s my job!” 

“So, speaking of like, this being your job. Do you need me to... pay you?”

Jess sighed at that, the expression on Rey's face made it clear that she probably couldn’t afford the full price of a new spark plug. “Listen, if my boss found out I was giving out free parts... he probably wouldn’t be too happy,” Jess paused, thinking about how first, Poe didn’t need to know, and second, if he found out, she’d have a secret to lord over him pretty soon, “buuuut I have a feeling he’ll let this one slide.” 

Rey’s eyes lit up and- oh that smile again, but this time different, softer. “Seriously. Thanks, Jess.” 

Jess coughed nervously. “And you know, if you have any more car trouble, I work right down the street.”

“Yeah, y’know, I feel like my cars about to break down again already...” She winked. Or did she wink? It was so dark out that Jess coudn’t decide.

“Ha, cool,” Jess shook her head and waved her arms frantically, “I mean, not cool! That’s bad. But if you do have any trouble, at least I can help.” She had to physically restrain herself from cringing. 

“I’ll see you around, Jess,” Rey patted her on the arm- Jess was starting to get kind of cold now with just a T-shirt on, so she blamed that on the chill bumps- and climbed into her car for the final time, waved, and drove away. 

Jess immediately pulled her phone out of her pocket and typed in “omw. and dude, you gotta hear this” but paused before hitting send. Maybe this could just be her secret for now. 

Jess: omw.


End file.
